• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Leadership

Hillary Clinton Is Back on the Campaign Trail After Bout of Pneumonia

By
Sam Frizell
Sam Frizell
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sam Frizell
Sam Frizell
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 16, 2016, 6:05 AM ET
US-VOTE-CLINTON-GREENSBORO
Photograph by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI AFP/Getty Images

This article originally appeared on Time.com,

Hillary Clinton returned to the campaign trail on Thursday after recovering in her Westchester home from a bout of pneumonia, four days after becoming weak and dehydrated at a 9/11 memorial service.

Before a crowd in Greensboro, N.C., she appeared in fine health, speaking energetically through much of her speech, and she used her illness to refresh a familiar campaign theme that had fallen by the wayside in recent weeks: her work on behalf of children.

“As you may know, I recently had a cough that turned out to be pneumonia,” Clinton told the audience. “I tried to power through it, but even I had to admit that maybe a few days of rest would do me good.”

“People like me, we’re lucky. When I’m under the weather, I can afford to take a few days off. Millions of Americans can’t,” she continued. “For millions of moms and dads, if they get sick there’s no backup. They’re on their own, aren’t they?”

Clinton caused a scare on Sunday at the 9/11 memorial in lower Manhattan when she left early after becoming dehydrated. A video showed her wobbling in front of her van and needing support from two Secret Service agents. She was diagnosed with non-infectious pneumonia last Friday, but did not disclose her illness.

A note from Clinton’s doctor, Lisa Bardack, said the candidate has been recovering nicely and recommended to take an antibiotic for 10 days.

In Greensboro, Clinton told the crowd that with 54 days until the election, she wanted to end her campaign the way she began, by focusing on families and kids. She recalled her work on behalf of the Children’s Defense Fund shortly after graduating law school. As First Lady, she played a leading role in the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Her speech was a return to a milder and less combative Clinton, who in recent months has been sharpening her attacks against Donald Trump and repeating that he is unfit to serve as President.

She was self-deprecating about her public image, admitting as she has several times before that she is hardly the master campaigner her husband Bill Clinton is. “When it comes to the public service, I’m better at the service part than the public part,” she said. “I confess I’ll never be the showman my opponent is. That’s O.K. with me.”

Subscribe to The World’s Most Powerful Women, Fortune’s daily must-read for global businesswomen.

She did mention Trump, however, chiefly criticizing his recently announced family-leave plan — which only provides unemployment benefits for six weeks for women — saying it should provide support for men as well. Senator Tim Kaine, her running mate, also criticized Trump’s plan earlier on Thursday for not providing sufficient benefits.

Polls in North Carolina show Trump and Clinton in a virtual tie, four years after Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney defeated Obama there. Trump has gained on Clinton in recent polls and is edging her out in several key swing-state polls.

“When we go to the polls this November, the real choice isn’t between Democrats and Republicans,” Clinton said. “It’s about who will have the power to shape our children for the next four years of our lives.”

About the Authors
By Sam Frizell
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Thompson
C-SuiteMedia
Atlantic CEO Nick Thompson on how he learned to ‘just keep moving forward’ after his famous firing at 22
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 14, 2025
2 hours ago
Chess master and co-founder of Chess.com, Danny Rensch
SuccessEntrepreneurs
Chess.com cofounder says it took a pinch of delusion to bring the traditional game online—and it’s a ‘requirement for every successful entrepreneur’
By Emma BurleighDecember 14, 2025
4 hours ago
JPMorganChase CEO Jamie Dimon says AI will eliminate jobs—and that soft skills will be more important than ever.
Future of WorkTech
Jamie Dimon says soft skills like emotional intelligence and communication are vital as AI eliminates roles
By Nino PaoliDecember 14, 2025
6 hours ago
Nicholas Thompson
C-SuiteBook Excerpt
I took over one of the most prestigious media firms while training for an ultramarathon. Here’s what I learned becoming CEO of The Atlantic
By Nicholas ThompsonDecember 13, 2025
1 day ago
Lauren Antonoff
SuccessCareers
Once a college dropout, this CEO went back to school at 52—but she still says the Gen Zers who will succeed are those who ‘forge their own path’
By Preston ForeDecember 13, 2025
1 day ago
Asiathe future of work
The CEO of one of Asia’s largest co-working space providers says his business has more in common with hotels
By Angelica AngDecember 12, 2025
1 day ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Tariffs are taxes and they were used to finance the federal government until the 1913 income tax. A top economist breaks it down
By Kent JonesDecember 12, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne sold his 10% stake for $800 in 1976—today it’d be worth up to $400 billion
By Preston ForeDecember 12, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
40% of Stanford undergrads receive disability accommodations—but it’s become a college-wide phenomenon as Gen Z try to succeed in the current climate
By Preston ForeDecember 12, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
The Fed just ‘Trump-proofed’ itself with a unanimous move to preempt a potential leadership shake-up
By Jason MaDecember 12, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Apple CEO Tim Cook out-earns the average American’s salary in just 7 hours—to put that into context, he could buy a new $439,000 home in just 2 days
By Emma BurleighDecember 12, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Uncategorized
Transforming customer support through intelligent AI operations
By Lauren ChomiukNovember 26, 2025
18 days ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.